Need WABA? Contact TimelinesAI Support to join our WABA Beta program and starting using WhatsApp Coexistence.
What is WhatsApp Coexistence?
WhatsApp Coexistence is a Meta feature that lets you keep using your existing WhatsApp Business App on your phone and connect the same phone number to TimelinesAI via the WhatsApp Cloud API (WABA) at the same time.
This means you can continue chatting with customers directly from your phone while also having API capabilities — automation, CRM integration, template messages, and team collaboration — through TimelinesAI.
Prerequisites
Before you can enable Coexistence, make sure the following conditions are met:
WhatsApp Business App version 2.24.17 or newer installed on your phone
A properly configured Meta Business Account / Business Manager
Your account must meet Meta's eligibility criteria (based on account age and messaging quality — Meta determines this automatically)
Unsupported countries: Nigeria and South Africa are currently not supported for Coexistence
How It Works
When Coexistence is active, both your WhatsApp Business App and TimelinesAI can send and receive messages on the same number. Message routing follows these rules:
Scenario | What happens |
New inbound message | Appears in both the WhatsApp Business App and TimelinesAI |
You reply from TimelinesAI (API) | Conversation becomes API-owned. Subsequent messages from that contact route to the API |
You reply from the WhatsApp Business App | Conversation becomes App-owned |
Ownership handoff | The last platform to reply owns the conversation. You can switch back and forth |
Key point: Messages sent from the WhatsApp Business App are echoed to TimelinesAI (via Meta's smb_message_echoes webhook), so your team can see the full conversation history in TimelinesAI. However, these echoed messages do not open a 24-hour API messaging window.
Known Limitations
Throughput cap
Coexistence numbers are capped at 20 messages per second (mps). This cannot be upgraded.
For comparison, standard WABA numbers support 80 mps by default and can be upgraded up to 1,000 mps. If you do high-volume messaging through the API, this is an important constraint to keep in mind.
Features disabled in WhatsApp Business App
Once Coexistence is enabled, the following features are disabled or restricted in your WhatsApp Business App:
Feature | Status |
Broadcast Lists | Disabled; existing lists become read-only |
Disappearing messages | Auto-disabled for all 1:1 chats |
View-once messages | Disabled for all 1:1 chats |
Live location sharing | Disabled for all 1:1 chats |
Message edit/revoke | Supported (Meta reversed an earlier restriction) |
Group chats
Group chats are not synced via the Cloud API. If you need group message sync in TimelinesAI, you should connect the number via QR code (regular WhatsApp connection) in addition to WABA.
Voice and video calls
Voice and video calls are not supported via the Cloud API. These continue to work only within the WhatsApp Business App itself.
24-hour messaging window
The standard WABA 24-hour service window rules apply:
You can send freeform (non-template) messages only within 24 hours of the customer's last message received via the API
Messages sent from the WhatsApp Business App do not open or extend the 24-hour API window
After the window expires, you must use an approved template message to re-initiate contact via the API
Linked devices
All companion devices (linked phones, desktops) are unlinked during Coexistence onboarding
WhatsApp for Windows desktop app and WearOS are not supported as companion devices
You must re-link your supported devices after onboarding is complete
Disconnecting Coexistence will also unlink all companion devices again
Important Operational Requirements
Keep the WhatsApp Business App active
You must open the WhatsApp Business App at least once every 13–14 days. If you don't, Meta may remove the Coexistence connection. Recovery requires going through the Embedded Signup process again.
Payment method
Template messages are billed through Meta. Ensure your Meta Business Account has a valid payment method configured. If your payment method is invalid or expired, template message sending will fail.
Message Types: What's Supported
Based on our testing, here's what works and what doesn't in TimelinesAI for a Coexistence number:
Inbound messages (from contacts to you)
Type | Synced to TimelinesAI |
Text messages | Yes |
Images | Yes |
Documents | Yes |
Location messages | Not currently supported |
Voice messages | Not currently supported |
Reactions | Yes |
Outbound messages (sent from WhatsApp Business App to contacts)
Type | Synced to TimelinesAI |
Text messages | Yes |
Images | No |
Documents | No |
Location messages | No |
Voice messages | No |
Reactions | No |
Messages sent from WhatsApp Business App
Messages you send from the app are echoed to TimelinesAI so your team can see them. These appear in the chat history but do not trigger customer-facing webhooks or open API messaging windows.
Using Both WABA and QR Code Connection
You can connect the same phone number to TimelinesAI via both WABA (Coexistence) and QR code (regular WhatsApp connection) simultaneously. Here's how they complement each other:
Capability | WABA (Coexistence) | QR code (regular) |
Inbound messages | Yes | Yes |
Outbound messages via API | Yes | Yes |
App-sent messages synced | Yes (via echoes) | Yes (full sync) |
Group chats | No | Yes |
Webhooks triggered | Only if no QR connection | Yes (takes priority) |
Template messages | Yes | No |
Note: When both connections are active, only the QR-code (regular) connection triggers customer-facing webhooks. This is expected behavior and avoids duplicate notifications.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Will enabling Coexistence affect my messaging quotas?
A: No. Coexistence does not impact your WABA messaging tier or quota consumption.
Q: What happens if I disconnect Coexistence?
A: All linked companion devices will be unlinked (including any TimelinesAI QR-code connections, desktop apps, etc.). You'll need to re-link them after disconnecting.
Q: Can I send bulk messages via the API on a Coexistence number?
A: Yes, but keep in mind the 20 mps throughput cap. For high-volume campaigns, a dedicated WABA number (not in Coexistence mode) with higher throughput may be more appropriate.
Q: What if template messages fail with a payment error?
A: Check that your Meta Business Account has a valid payment method. Go to your Meta Business Manager → Payment Settings to verify.
Q: Is Coexistence available in my country?
A: Coexistence is available globally except in Nigeria and South Africa.